CONSERVATIONISTS at the National Trust plan to scupper the badger cull in Wales.

The cull is being proposed by the Welsh Assembly Government in a bid to wipe out bovine TB in cattle.

But leaders of the trust, which owns and manages large swathes of land across Wales, said they do not believe there is a scientific case for killing badgers in cattle TB hotspots.

Both the National Trust – which has 3.5 million members – and the RSPCA think that a badger cull would be a mistake. And the RSPCA is particularly concerned that a cull could cause enormous suffering, particularly if methods such as snaring are used.

The trust has now gone further, saying it will not co-operate in proposed culls, unless the Assembly Government in Cardiff and Parliament back the programmes with legal force – a move which farmers unions in Wales believe threatens the democratic process.

David Bullock, the trust’s head of nature conservation, said: “We have obligations, both to badgers and the people who use our land. We are not persuaded it is the right thing to do.”

He stressed that if trials on the effectiveness of culls had shown they could reduce cattle TB by 80%, a real difference, “then, subject to the highest welfare standards, we could not have objected to a badger cull, but it has not gone that way”.

But Dai Davies, president of the National Farmers’ Union of Wales, accused the National Trust of considering itself to be “higher than democracy”.

He said: “Do they [the National Trust] think that they are more important than the Welsh Assembly Government?

“Do they believe that the 38 Assembly members entered into the debate with their eyes closed?

“The Assembly members weighed up the positives and negatives of the issue and came up with their conclusion; they were elected by the people of Wales and make decisions in the best interest of the country.”

Brian Walters, a bTB spokesman for the Farmers’ Union of Wales, added: “This appears to be a cynical move motivated by political cowardice and a willingness to pander to animal rights groups, rather than a rational position.

“Many farmers will interpret their statements as an indication of how far removed they are from the horrendous consequences this terrible disease has for rural communities.

“Nevertheless, it is not believed their objections will have any significant impact on a pilot area.”

Earlier this month, the first systematic cull of badgers in Britain for two decades was announced in Wales. Plaid’s Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, outlined measures, including a one-off test of all cattle in Wales, and the potential removal of badgers in an Intensive Action Pilot Area, where cattle and badgers will be managed to remove all sources of infection.

Dr Christianne Glossop, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, said the number of animals testing positive for the disease had increased from fewer than 700 in 1997 to 8,000 animals last year.

An increase across Monmouthshire, Powys and in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire followed a surge during the 2001 foot-and-mouth epidemic when there was no testing.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said: “There is a considerable amount of work to do in considering all the options for the Intensive Action Pilot Area, including its location, size, duration and method of culling.

“When considering these options, we will be working closely with the farming industry and wildlife experts.

“The National Trust are members of Wales Environment Link which is represented on the Animal Health and Welfare Steering Group and as such will be closely involved in the discussions.”

But the RSPCA says scientific evidence shows that culling badgers in Wales could increase the occurrence of bovine TB in neighbouring areas.

It supports enhanced testing of cattle and better biosecurity, quarantine arrangements for cattle moved from farm-to-farm and financial aid to farmers to implement measures to tackle the disease.